Case Studies

Gemm Learning's initial advocacy of Fast ForWord software for New York dyslexia help was based on the results we saw in outside trials.  Our decision to provide Greenwich reading help by opening a second center,is based on our subsequent first-hand experience. Outside trials and our own experience with Fast ForWord has shown us that vast improvements are not only possible, they are expected.

Adults too!  Much as regular physical activity is essential for physical fitness, challenging mental stimulation is important for brain fitness. Not only is Gemm Learning concerned with proper reading and language development in the early stages, but we are also concerned with ongoing mental acuity. This is why we developed our Brain Fitness Program which is currently offered at our learning center in Pelham, NY (with plans to offer a Greenwich brain fitness program at our Fairfield County learning center in Connecticut). Case studies are further down this page.

4-year Dallas High School study

Dallas Independent School District, TX (Longitudinal)

During the three years prior to Fast ForWord use, participant's TAKS Reading scores moved in the same manner as their peers' scores statewide. 

After Fast ForWord software use, the students made significant improvement.  These gains were built on in subsequent years. 

Teachers attribute these gains to improved confidence leading to a more productive school day.  In addition, learning skill development is sequential and so by removing a glitch in a foundational learning skill allows higher thinking skills to develop more normally.

The Right to Write

A newspaper article about a family of four children whose lives were changed by Fast ForWord.

Read Right to Write

Willie Brown's story

A heart warming video about one Fast ForWord student, as told by Willie and everyone around him.  Watch video.

Gemm Student:  “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”

Brian went to a good school but he was falling further and further behind and now it was affecting his confidence.  His mother could see a downward spiral starting.  Then his school sent home a flyer about Gemm Learning and the possibilities of brain change.  After a few months over the summer the results were amazing.  “It’s like the invasion of the body snatchers. He’s a different kid, brimming with confidence and reading much more comfortably” she told the Center Director before school had started.  Then on his first day back she called again.  Brian had read out loud to his class and reading teacher.  He got a standing ovation.  The teachers and his peers were amazed at the difference. 

Gemm Student:  “Her First A”

Anne was under 2lbs when she was born, struggled from the start.  But she wanted to like reading because her mother loved reading.   They tried Sylvan and other things, but nothing got her where she needed to be.  Last summer she took one last shot, and tried brain-change with Fast ForWord.  She has been rewarded.  First, the school did its normal re-testing for special ed classes (Anne was in all of them) and she no longer qualified – the teachers were stunned, retested, and again Anne tested in the average range.  A few days later, Anne came home with her first A.  Her mother called relatives all over the country and had a family party that night.  Now Anne thinks she is a genius. 

Brain Fitness Studies

Posit Science and several prestigious organizations have conducted many scientific studies on the Brain Fitness Program. Those completed to date prove the program is effective for cognitive issues associated with healthy aging, and show highly promising preliminary data for other conditions. In fact, the results of the IMPACT study—a large, important study that shows the Brain Fitness Program significantly improves memory and processing speed in adults—have recently been released, and more studies on the Brain Fitness Program are underway or in planning.

Alzheimer’s Disease
Preliminary results from a study conducted by scientists at Yale University show that patients with early to moderate Alzheimer’s disease who used the Brain Fitness Program trended toward better performance on cognitive tests and reported improvement in symptoms related to depression. Newsletter on Alzheimer's

Healthy Aging
The results of a new, landmark study—called the IMPACT study—demonstrate that people can exercise the brain for better cognitive health, but that certain programs are more effective than others. IMPACT was a large, randomized, controlled study that showed people who used the Brain Fitness Program experienced statistically significant improvements in memory and auditory processing speed. These benefits also extended to everyday life.

Details of IMPACT Study

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and the University of California at Davis (UCD) conducted a pilot study of the effects of the Brain Fitness Program on people with MCI. Preliminary results are very promising; strong trend data indicate a significant effect on cognitive function. Imaging studies of these patients show they maintain their cognitive strength, while those not using the program continue the expected decline. These encouraging results highlight the potential of the Brain Fitness Program for MCI treatment, and confirm that larger trials are merited.